Tobacco-feeding device for cigarette machines



March 24, 1931.- E. KOERNER TOBACCO FEEDING DEVICE FOR CIGARETTE MACHINES Filed May 9, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. W %,,44 J -Z.-,

ATTORNEY-T.

TCBACCO FEEDING DEVICE FOR CIGARETTE MACHINES Filed May 9, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 R 0 T m V m A TTORNEYJ.

Patented Mar. 24, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFiE EWALD KOERNEE, OF DRESDEN, GERMANY, ASSIGNOB T UNITED CIGARETTE MA- CHINE CO. INC., 01 LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA, A. COBPGBATION OF VIRGINIA TOBACCO-FEEDING DEVICE FOR CIGARETTE MACHINES Application filed May 9, 1927. Serial No. 189,951.

The object of the present invention is to provide means for feeding tobacco to the cigarette forming elements of a cigarette machine in such manner that the tobacco shall be substantially uniform in order that the cigarettes maybe uniformly packed and approximately alike in weight. In machines for the purpose now in general use one or more sets of carding rolls are employed in 16 the hopper in conjunction with the picker roll -or picker rolls. Tobacco is received by the. carding rolls and ispicked off the latter onto aifeed belt which discharges into a chute discharging into the cigarette machine prop- 5 er. The carding rolls either run continuously or intermittently. Feeding apparatus of the kind mentioned possesses a number of disadvantages. The tobacco is usually in long shreds which tend to adhere into masses and 0 in the action of the carding rolls the teeth of the latter seize the tobacco and the picker roll strips the tobacco from the lower carding roll onto the feed belt. The upper carding coil is designed to remove the excess of to bacco from the lower carding roll and be cause such excess is in long shreds and adhesive and is forcibly removed from the lower carding roll, it tends to pack gradually into 7 lumps, balls or rolls, which resist uniform distributionover the carding devices and result in a non-uniform discharge from the lower carding roll onto the feed belt. It is the specific object of the present invention .4 to provide means for preventing such lack of uniformity in the feed. For this purpose means are provided for continuously agitating the tobacco being acted upon by the feeding devices, two forms of agitating means being illustrated in the drawings. 7 In the drawings- Figure 1.is a vertical transverse section through a tobacco feeding'hopper illustrating an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through an upper carding roll and its immediate supporting and driving members;

Figure 3 is a sectional side elevation of a modified form of device, and V Figure 4 is a front elevation of the same,

the 'upper carding roll being omitted;

Figure 5 is a side elevation of one of the agitating rakes and its connections;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side elevation illustrating one of the adjustable bearing arms for the agitator rakes illustrated in Figures 8, 4 and 5 and means for adjusting the same.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 1, two hoppers are provided and two sets of carding and picker rolls. The hoppers are within a sin le casing A and they are divided by a vibratory or swinging board 1 which acts as an cflective separating medium between the hoppers B and C, so that each set of carding rolls operates independently of the other set and upon a different charge of tobacco. The vibratory or swinging board 1, however, acts upon both chargesof tobacco. Within the hopper C is a lower carding roll 2 and an upper carding roll 3 covered with pins in the usual manner. Carding roll 2 rotates continuously, whereas carding roll 3 is rotated either intermittently or continuously, depending upon the character of the tobacco to be'worked. The upper carding roll 3 comprises four sections which are illustrated more in detail in Figure 2 being indicated by the letters a, b, c and (Z. Members a and b of carding roll 3 are carried by a hollow shaft l, and members a and are carried by a hollow shaft 5. The hollow shafts 4.- and 5 are mounted upon a solid driving shaft 6 which is carried in bearing members 7 and 8 on the frame members 9, 9

Frame member 9 has rotatably mounted thereon a short shaft 10, and frame member 9* has mounted thereon a similar short shaft 11. Shaft 11 is provided With a sprocket wheel 12 by means of which the shaft is rotated through chain connection with a suitable source of power. A second sprocket and chain connection 13 transmits power from shaft 11 to shaft 6 at one end thereof. At the opposite end of shaft 6 a sprocket and chain connection 14 transmits rotary movement to shaft 10. Hollow shaft 5 has fixed thereto a ratchet wheel 15 which is adapted to be intermittently driven by a pawl 16, the latter being mounted upon an eccentric rotated by shaft 11. The hub (Z of carding wheel unit d has fi ed thereto a ratch t Wh el 17 which is intermittently driven by a pawl 20 mounted upon an eccentric driven by shaft 11 and timed differently from that of the eccentric for hollow shaft 5. One of the ratchet wheel, pawl and eccentric mechanisms is shown in side elevation, dotted lines, Figure 1. The elements are all alike in each case and therefore do not require detailed description or illustration.

at the left hand end of the arrangement shown in Figure 2 shaft 10 is provided with two differently timed eccentrics acting upon pawls 21 and 22. Pawl 21 intermittently actuates a ratchet wheel 23 mounted upon an extension of the hub a of the carding roll unit a, and pawl 22 intermittently actuates a ratchet wheel 24 carried by hollow shaft 4.

By the mechanism above described each of the units a, b, c and (Z of the carding roll is intermittently rotated at a difierent time, and if desired at a different speed, relatively to the remaining units of the roll.

The upper carding roll 3 in hopper B and its associated members may be constructed exactly as in the case of carding roll 3 so that description of the latter will suflice for the two. Likewise lower carding roll 2 may be constructed in the same manner as lower card ing roll 2. Carding roll 2 is engaged by a picker roll 25 in front of which is a vertical board 26 followed by a magnet cylinder 27 for removing foreign bodies from the tobacco. Carding roll 2 is associated with a picker roll 25 at the rear of which is vertical board 26* similar to board 26. The tobacco passing from the carding rolls falls upon an endless belt 27 which carries it below the magnet roll and thence to the pin rolls 28, 29 from which tobacco passes to the discharge chute 30.

A feed belt 31 in hopper C tends to move the tobacco in said hopper toward the carding rolls and a similar belt 32 serves the same purpose in hopper B. Intermediate the base of board 1 and feed belt 31 may be placed a shield 33, a like shield 34 being placed intermediate the board and feed belt 32 and hopper B.

Swinging or vibratory movements may be given to board 1 by any suitable means,'as for example a crank drive, so that the board moves alternately toward the carding rolls 2, 3 and the carding rolls 2*, 3*, so that tobacco in each hopper is placed under successive pressures toward the carding rolls in said hopper whereby the sum of the mass of tobacco taken up by both sets of carding rolls remains constant.

In Figures 3 to 6 inclusive I have illus trated a modified form of means for forcibly moving tobacco in the hopper toward the carding rolls and for breaking up lumps or balls of tobacco which may be form-ed in the hopper. \Vithin the hopper B is placed an upper carding roll 35 and a lower carding roll 36, these rolls being driven by any suitable means, the driving means for the lower roll 36 being indicated asa chain 37 engaging a sprocket on the roll shaft 36 being driven from a sprocket 38 on driving shaft 39. Shaft 39 may be given continuous or intermittent movements in accordance with the usual practice. The tobacco is moved toward the carding rolls by means of a belt 40 and, after stripping from the carding rolls, is re ceived by a belt 41 for discharge by the latter into chute 42. at the left of the carding roll is the usual picker roll 43..

On a shaft 44 are arranged a plurality of cranks 45, each crank having strapped thereto a shank 46 of a'fork 46 and each shank is slidably supported in an aperture formed in an oscillatory guide rod 47 mounted on bracket members 48, the latter being carried by shaft 44.

Crank shaft 44 is given rotary movements through sprocket connection with a chain 49 driven from shaft 39. Inasmuch as crank members 45 are arranged angularly with respect to each other, the rotation of shaft 4:4 causes the arms, individually or in sets, as desired, to successively reach forwardly, engage the tobacco in the hopper and move the tobacco toward the carding rolls. In such action rod 47 guides the shank members of each rake, being permitted an oscillatory movement.

Shaft 44 is journalled in bearing members 50 suspended by arms 51 from shaft 39 or any other suitable point. The relative angular relationship between arms 51 and 48 may be changed by loosening set screw 52 carried by an extension 51 of each arm 51, moving arm 48 to the position desired, whereupon set screw 52 will slide in a slot 9 in an extension 48 of arm 48, and retightening the set screw.

The crank shaft 44 can be driven at any desired speed, as for example so fast that the rakes follow quickly each other in the action upon the tobacco, the result being a thorough working of the tobacco mass, preventing lumping of the tobacco or breaking up any lumps which may be formed and moving the tobacco toward the carding rolls. Each rake may be adjustably secured to the strap which in turn secures it to a crank member 45 so that the rakes can be lowered or raised as desired. By swinging the arms 51 upwardly the rakes can be raised out of contact with the tobacco and hopper during operation. The shaft 44 may be placed within slots 0 formed in the hopper walls.

My invention is illustrated in the drawings in two forms only. The embodiments thus illustrated may be changed in many respects without departing from the spirit of the invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent being as follows 1. In tobacco feeding machines, a container, a division member separating the container into two hoppers, carding means in each hopper, said means being positioned laterally of and opposite the division member, and means for vibrating said division member so that it alternately moves toward and away from each carding roll.

2. In tobacco feeding machines, a hopper and carding mechanism Within the hopper including a carding roll comprising a plurality of sections, a shaft, a plurality of sleeves on said shaft each supporting a section of the carding roll, means at one side of the shaft for driving a plurality of said sleeves independently of each other and means including said shaft at the opposite end thereof for driving a further plurality of said sections.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

EWALD KOERNER. 

